Best Cave Diving Locations

Mexico

In this region the word Cenote is synonymous with cave diving. Cenote is another word for the cave entry points in Mexico’s freshwater limestone quarries.

These date back before Florida’s younger limestone caves and present many areas of dry cave spleleothems – or cave deposits, which are mainly found in dry caves but here are submerged due to the fluctuating sea levels of time. The stalactites in these dry caves are of an extremely vulnerable nature due to their composition.

Breathtaking formations in the Yucatan Peninsula consist of recreational, shallow cenote diving in the centrally located Riviera Maya at Akumal and Tulum, south of Cancun.

Dzonot-ila’s Cenotes are deeper and require a great deal of vertical caving. Mucuyché near the village of Abala as well as Papakal, Kankirixche and Sabak Ha offer magical cave diving experiences.

Grand Bahama Island

Bahaman cave formations date back to the last ice age consisting of a porous and spongy limestone. They consist of crystal forests and stalagmites, reminiscent of before sea levels fell, only now they remain submersed with all their secrets.

A rare site to experienced is that of both fresh and salt water mixing at a certain point below 25 to 30 ft. You can actually see a diver becoming momentarily ‘blurred’ as they swim though what is known as the halocline - where fresh and salt water liquids meet. The phenomenon occurs due to the affects of sea water’s dense saline nature, in comparison to fresh water.

The extensive network of underwater caverns in the Bahamas are unimaginable until explored. Aside the usual enchanting stalactites and stalagmites you’ll encounter Grey Snappers and Remipedia (odd-looking swimming centipedes.)

The three main cavern zones are:
• Bens Cavern in the Lucayan National Park, mostly recreational lower-level cave diving.
• Mermaids Lair, a little less easily accessible with rare and unique formations.
• Owl Hole takes you down 40 feet where the halocline awaits - only for the more qualified cavern diver.

Florida

Cave diving sites in this region are fed by the Aquifer system and contain rather rigorous current springs that require special techniques to explore. Florida’s caves are young, solid limestone.

The largest underwater cave in the US is in the Wakulla State Park freshwater springs system, however is not too popular recreational or advanced cave diving as such and presently finds itself the subject of much research. Well-known northern Florida recreational cave and cavern diving spots include: Devil’s at Ginnie Springs, Peacock I, Orange Grove, Manatee and Little River and Troy Springs.

For experienced cave divers who enjoy a bit of a challenge the is Diepolder II and III, Peacock III/Henley’s Castle. For a more extensive database on cave diving spots in the region visit: Floridacaves.com

Australia

In the South East Mount Gambier, Blue Lake City lures cave divers with its mysterious underground limestone waterways.

The limestone wedge extends a whole 35km’s to the south coast reaching depths of 300m. The lakes are mainly a product of the volcanic craters. The Blue Lake has a particularly enchanting habit of turning the most beautiful turquoise blue in November and then back in March In the western area a particularly well-known site is Cocklebiddy in the semi desert of Nullarbor Plain. Seemingly situated in the middle of nowhere, this continuous limestone location is quoted to have: ‘...the potential to become as important to cave-explorers as the Himalayas are to mountaineers.’

Southern Africa

Situated in the Northern Cape area is an inland cave of approximately 920 feet with 165 foot visibility known as Boesmansgat. There are no limits to the depth of this cave and most of it still remains unexplored.

Further north in Mpumalanga is an inland flooded asbestos mine known as Badgat boasts depths of 1310 feet. The environment provides perfect conditions for all levels of cave divers.